Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(44)

“At least they didn’t mention you forgetting the lyrics last night.” She blinked quickly when he glared at her. “Could be worse.”

“That wouldn’t be worse.” He held up the magazine. “But at least I wouldn’t be called a beast.”

“Sir, will you be buying the magazine?” the cashier asked. Her face dropped when she realized the likeness between the picture on the cover and the man in front of her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—“

“It’s all right,” he said, shoving the magazine back into its rack. “I’m not buying this trash.”

As Rachael paid for the groceries, Cole strode outside and waited for her near the front door.

“Where to now?” Without being prompted to help, he carried every single bag, loading them onto his forearms. “Back to the inn?”

“Yeah, I’ve got to unload these before the designer arrives.”

They walked the slight uphill back to her place. Cole asked about the wineries on the main street, the cobblestone beneath their feet, and the gold mining history of the town. Rachael got the feeling he was making small talk so they didn’t have to talk about the magazine.

“Why do you let it bother you so much?” she asked as they unloaded groceries into the fridge.

He knew exactly what she meant without a lead-in. “Honestly, I think I’d prefer the article to be about the concert last night. I’d be more comfortable if it read: Cole Turner botches gig. If they wanted to say I couldn’t carry a tune or mock the fact that I don’t write my own music, fine. But calling me a beast for breaking Tori’s heart? Give me a break. I don’t know why everyone insists on blending my personal life with the one I lead on stage.”

“Because you’re intriguing both on and off the stage.”

He cocked a brow. “I’m not that intriguing.”

“I beg to differ.”

She bent to put carrots in the vegetable bin. Suddenly, Cole’s hands were on her waist and his hips were pressed against her backside.

“Do you have to argue about everything?”

She stood and spun around in his arms. “I think we can come together on a few things.”

He kissed her then, weakening her knees. The feeling humming in her heart when he slipped his tongue past her lips warned that she was getting too attached to him too quickly. The whole day had been a fa?ade, a fantasy version of what their life could be under different circumstances. If he wasn’t a rock star. If he was from somewhere local and planned to stick around longer than a day.

24 hours, she realized.

That’s all they had left.

“What time is the designer coming?” he asked as his hands roamed up and down her back. “Do we have time for—”

Two loud bangs on the window turned his attention elsewhere, dang it. His arms dropped from her waist and he circled back to the stove. She was suddenly cold without his arms coiled around her.


Dom stood on the opposite side of the closed window, waving his phone around. “Tried to call you!” he hollered through the glass. “You didn’t answer.”

Absentmindedly, Rachael patted her back pockets. She’d forgotten to take her phone off the charger; it was still upstairs.

“I’ll meet you around back!” she said, and when his balding head disappeared from view, she turned back to Cole. “I have to go. You can leave the breakfast mess. I’ll have the maid wash the dishes.”

He pursed those kissable lips. “You don’t have a maid.”